Vetted

by K'Anne Meinel

  Allyssa quickly took off her winter jacket and gloves as well as her scarf and slung them over the chair in the room. Fetching the bag, she unpacked a small bag of dog food. “You want me to give him a can too?” she asked, indicating the can of dog food in the bag.

  “I’d save that for a big meal in the morning because tomorrow is going to be a long day. We’ll have to work out a signal when you notice him fidgeting to go to the bathroom. There might be a rest stop we could use.” She suddenly thought, ‘I bet those rest stops are closed in the winter.’ Moving a cat and a dog in the middle of winter suddenly made her feel foolish. She offered Mama Cat the cat pan, carrying her to it, and was pleased when she ignored her kitten’s mews to use the fresh litter, covering her pee vigorously before she smelled the litter and was satisfied.

  While she was using the cat box, Fiona prepared a can of cat food, some dry food, and a small carton of milk, laying out the dishes in an orderly fashion near the mewing kittens. She inspected each of them, noting two were females and one was a male. Mama Cat soon returned to inspect each of her babies, looking almost surprised that they existed before she tucked into the food in the little dishes that Fiona had laid out.

  “That’s precious,” Allyssa said as she laid on the bed to watch the kittens over Fiona’s shoulder from where she was leaning back against the bed.

  Fiona smiled, reaching up to find Allyssa’s hand. “That’s what I like about you, babe. You enjoy all aspects of the animals.”

  “I wish I knew more about them. We never had any growing up.”

  “Why not?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine anyone not having pets. She’d had so many she took it for granted.

  “Could you imagine a hair on the carpet or couch in that house in Regal Crest Gardens?” They shared a laugh at her mother’s expense.

  “It wasn’t that I didn’t want them. I was a tomboy growing up, despite my mother’s best intentions.”

  Fiona patted the hand she was holding. “I was a tomboy too.”

  Mama Cat was gulping down the food, barely chewing the dry stuff, and she choked. She stopped long enough to inspect the mewling kittens and then returned to the food, obviously half-starved from her days on the street.

  “Who would abandon such a cat? She’s obviously a good mother.”

  Fiona shrugged. She’d put down more cats in this type of situation than she cared to think about. It was the way of big cities. She had wanted to prevent that this time and had offered to take the cat and her kittens, much to Chuck’s relief. They would have tried to find homes for the kittens when it was time, but that was a long way in the future. At least with Fiona, he knew she wouldn’t add to the cat population and would fix them. “It takes all kinds,” she answered and then yawned.

  Allyssa caught her yawning and duplicated it. “Gawd, it’s been a long day.”

  “Why don’t you hop in the shower? Mama Cat is going to need the litter box after she digests all this food and then I’ll take my shower.”

  “Okay,” she said, rolling off the bed and grabbing her case. She had packed this case with the knowledge that she might be having sex with Fiona at some point. It was on her mind, but the nightgown she had chosen wasn’t very romantic. It was winter and her choices had been a flannel nightgown or pajamas. Still, she shrugged, they were clean and this hotel wasn’t very fancy. She discreetly hid her underwear in her pajamas as she grabbed her shampoo and toothpaste.

  Fiona had watched her out of the corner of her eye, curious why she had hesitated so long over the items in her case. She was feeling a little nervous herself and didn’t know what to expect from this young woman. Remembering the guy in the motel office she got angry, wondering if she was a dirty old woman taking advantage of this young and inexperienced girl. That was nonsense. Allyssa was an adult. She had some growing to do mentally, but physically she was an adult. She wanted this relationship to last and while the girl was young, she had agreed to this. Almost all these thoughts were repeats of the thoughts she had during the hours-long drive from Denver. They hadn’t gotten very far, but she knew they were all tired. It had been a long day. She smothered another yawn.

  Allyssa took extra time in the shower, shaving her legs and underarms. She considered shaving her nether regions, but wasn’t sure how that would feel or if lesbians did that. She didn’t know if Fiona would expect it. She’d heard that it itched when it grew back in and that was one spot she didn’t want itching. She thought about it, she really thought hard on it, and in the end decided to leave it alone. It was probably safer and she didn’t want the sharp blade of her razer anywhere near that delicate area. She washed her hair twice—the bottle did say repeat— and then conditioned it. The water pressure wasn’t very strong and it annoyed her. Getting out, she dried herself on the small towel they provided. She brushed her hair out and then used her blow dryer quickly. Next, she brushed her teeth and looked in the mirror while doing so. She shrugged. She never wore makeup except when they were going out somewhere fancy, and Fiona had married her knowing what she looked like. She dressed in the nightgown she had brought and then debated whether to wear the underwear she had brought in with her. Did lesbians wear underwear to bed? She had no idea, but since she usually did, she put it on. Besides, it was cold and she’d need the extra warmth. Wrapping her clothes together, she opened the bathroom door and went out.

  “Wow, I nearly fell asleep,” Fiona said as she realized she had been dozing against the bed while watching the cat wash her kittens.

  “I’m sorry I took so long,” she said, looking away as she put her clothes into a bag she kept in the zippered pouch. The dirty ones would be easier to find when she was ready to wash them.

  Fiona got up and went into the bathroom with her entire suitcase. She was back out of there within fifteen minutes, fresh, clean, and a little anxious. Looking toward the bed, she saw that Allyssa had taken the right side and was curled up under the covers, already asleep. Rex looked at her suspiciously as she put her case next to Allyssa’s. She picked up the mama cat once more, much to the disgruntlement of the tiny babies who mewed in protest, and put her into the cat pan, hoping she would use it and left it digging into the sand. Turning out the lights and making sure the door was locked, she crawled in on the left side and lay there wondering if all newlyweds faced challenges such as this. Despite her fatigue, it took a long time for Fiona to fall asleep lying next to her wife.

  Chapter Twelve

  As Allyssa slowly woke up, she couldn’t understand why Rex was taking up so much of the cot. It was then she realized she couldn’t smell the familiar smells of antiseptic and animals from the clinic. As she became even more aware, she realized it wasn’t Rex lying sprawled out beside her, it was Fiona. The last couple of days came back to her in a flash. She was married!

  She glanced around the room and saw Rex staring at her rather intently. He probably had to go out. She looked again and saw him glance away from her towards the end of the bed. She was just in time to see an exploring mama cat on the dresser where the TV was on. She glanced back at Rex who was looking very intently at the cat who seemed to taunt the dog before turning, flicking its tail, and jumping to the floor. Allyssa assumed she was going back to her kittens.

  Fiona twitched in her sleep and drew Allyssa’s gaze back to her. While she had kissed this woman, an incredible set of kisses that she enjoyed, she hadn’t done much more. She examined her face now, up close. Her brunette hair was cut short, and she knew it was for ease as she frequently didn’t have time for it. She had a rather long nose and luscious lips. Her eyebrows were as dark as her hair, the hairs looked like they came in blonde and darkened to the brunette. Allyssa had never really looked at a woman this closely. Heck, a few weeks ago, she had never even considered being with a woman. She had had second thoughts, but the thought of losing Fiona because she was moving away had really upset her. The solution of marrying her and starting a life with her had seemed to make so much sense. Now, she wondered what mo
re there would be to this relationship. What would the sex be like? It was then she realized she must have fallen asleep before Fiona had ever even gotten out of the shower. What must she think of her! Their wedding night and she had fallen asleep!

  Just as Allyssa thought of getting out of bed, Fiona sighed in her sleep and turned so that her body was further against Allyssa’s. Her arm flung out and held her trapped to the bed. Allyssa froze, unable, or unwilling to move. It was an uncomfortable feeling. It had been a long time since she really touched another human being. And other than the embraces she had shared with Fiona, who seemed more likely to engage in a hug, she really hadn’t put herself in such a position. She realized young that her parents discouraged them, and she hadn’t been comfortable with the boys who tried to make out with her, feel her up, or more. As she became aware of the warmth of Fiona’s body she felt no qualms in snuggling into it. The room was cold and she knew she would have to overcome her own feelings about touching. It wasn’t that Fiona’s touch had been unappealing … just the opposite. She had enjoyed her kisses and felt things she hadn’t felt before. She just wondered, What more was there? Superficially, she knew about sex, but having never experienced it before, she had to wonder what women did together?

  Fiona awoke just as Allyssa snuggled into her. It was a comfortable feeling, one she could get used to and enjoy. It led to other thoughts and feelings including making love to the younger woman. Her body began to respond to the heat and her thoughts. She wanted to shift, to begin to caress Allyssa, but she wasn’t sure if she should start anything. Just as she was working up the nerve to kiss her good morning, Rex started to woof, low and deep. It startled them both, causing them to jump. They looked at each other, Allyssa wide awake and Fiona a little sleepier, and they began to laugh.

  “Good morning,” Fiona said gruffly, her mouth still dry from sleep.

  “Good morning,” Allyssa answered, her voice clear and full of the laughter of the moment. “Sorry, I think someone may need to go out.” She glanced back at the large pup who was sitting up and looking intently at her.

  “Well, there went my plans,” Fiona mumbled.

  The blonde turned back, her hair swinging over her shoulder as she asked, “Plans? Oh yeah, you wanted to get an early start.” She glanced at the digital clock on the TV and saw it was nearly eight. “I’ll get dressed and take him for a walk.”

  Those weren’t really the plans Fiona had in mind, but she wasn’t about to clarify and embarrass them both. She just nodded dumbly and looked over her shoulder to find the cat. She was sitting outside her kennel, the kittens inside sleeping, and she was looking pointedly at her dishes. Fiona smiled. She’d always said animals talked if you were listening to them. She glanced up as Allyssa retrieved a pair of clean jeans and a blouse to change into, then grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste, and went into the bathroom. How in the heck were they going to get past the intimacy part of their marriage? Sure, she had kissed the girl, but she was a bit daunted that Allyssa had never had sex with anyone. In a way, it gave her a thrill to know she would be her first, her only, but it also intimidated the hell out of her. What if she couldn’t satisfy her? How would Allyssa know anyway, with no one to compare it to? What if she didn’t like it? She sat up on the side of the bed, let out a huge yawn, and stretched, which scared Mama Cat momentarily, then ran her fingers through her hair. Yawning, she leaned over and started filling the dishes. Mama Cat came closer, purring her happiness over being fed.

  Hearing the bathroom door open, she looked up at her wife who looked fresh and clean and ready for the day. “I’ll fill Rex’s dishes while you are out,” she offered.

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that...” Allyssa answered as she began to pull her winter jacket on. Rex started dancing over by the door, excited to see his human moving in the direction he wanted, getting ready to go out.

  “I don’t mind, and with him outside it will be easier.” She knew he tended to get in the way and wolf down his food. She watched as Allyssa stamped into her boots and put on her gloves. The dog was watching intently too, his tail wagging happily.

  “I’ll be back in a few,” she told her as she grabbed the leash still attached to the door handle and took the loop off. Rex was practically hopping he was so happy to have gotten his way. “Oh, wow,” she said as the wind tried to grab the door and there was snow drifted against it. She pushed at it with her boots so it wouldn’t track in the room. Rex leaped out into it and she quickly shut the door behind her.

  Just seeing the brief glimpse of what it looked like outside, Fiona knew it was going to be a helluva drive. They had a lot of miles to go and really couldn’t dally. Normally she drove straight on through, but she was thinking they might have to stop again in a hotel somewhere and she thought about what was available where they were headed as she washed up in the bathroom and brushed her teeth. By the time Allyssa and Rex were back, bringing a gust of cold air in with them, she was dressed and closing her suitcase. “How bad is it out there?” she asked warily.

  “It’s brisk,” she answered as she pulled off her gloves and boots.

  “Is it deep?” She was more concerned about that because it would make driving more difficult.

  “It’s windy. It doesn’t seem like a lot of snow, but it’s being blown across the country,” she answered.

  “Can you drive in that?” she indicated the wind outside as she watched Rex eat. She headed to find Mama Cat who had scooted somewhere when the gust of wind came inside upon their entrance. She found her using the cat pan and left her to it for the moment.

  “Sure, I’ll just go slower.”

  “Good answer,” she responded with a smile, moving her suitcase nearer the door in preparation for leaving. She glanced and saw Allyssa zipping hers closed. “Do you have any preference where we stop to eat for breakfast?”

  “Nope, anywhere you want is fine by me,” she answered, heaving her bag to the floor and then putting it next to Fiona’s. “We won’t have to worry about them getting too hot in the car,” she laughed, watching Rex enjoy his food.

  “Think we can somehow leave them in here while we walk next door to that restaurant? That way the cold car won’t chill them.”

  “Well, I don’t want Rex to come off his lead. I think he’d go after Mama Cat, not out of meanness, but his curiosity could be misinterpreted.”

  Glancing around the room she could only see the table and chairs which wouldn’t provide a good option to tie him up. “How about we put him in the bathroom? That’s sort of like the clinic?”

  “Okay, but we better take the cat pan out, I don’t want him to think those are snacks in there,” she wrinkled her nose at the thought and they shared a laugh at the foibles of dogs.

  They soon had the room in order: the cat pan was out next to the kennel for Mama Cat to use while they were gone, the food dishes were all washed and put away with the extra food for now, and Rex was locked in the bathroom. They carried the luggage down to the Jeep and locked it in there before rushing next door through the wind and blowing snow to the restaurant.

  “Well, that’s a first,” Fiona commented as Allyssa ordered eggs, bacon, hash browns, and orange juice.

  “What is?” she asked, curious, and looked around to see what she might mean.

  “No BLT,” she teased.

  Allyssa laughed. “Not for breakfast, silly.”

  “But, you did have bacon, so I guess you are partway there….”

  “And I did ask that the hash browns be extra well-done,” she reminded her with a grin.

  They talked about superficial things, neither venturing into anything too personal. By nine in the morning they were back on the road, after Fiona had waited for the manager to check their room against animal damage. Fiona had been relieved to find that Rex must have just settled down in the bathroom. Slowly they started out, the drifts around their vehicles more obvious because a plow had been in the parking lot and left big swathes of snow around each of them. Fi
ona was certain it was deliberate, but couldn’t convey that to Allyssa who was following behind in the Jeep and trailer. She pushed her way through them and then her tires bumped over them as they left. Slowly, they made their way onto I-80. The gusts of wind weren’t too bad on the interstate, but Fiona knew that by about ten or eleven in the morning the winds in Wyoming always started and she wondered if it would be any different this late in the winter. She didn’t speed up to the speed limit since it was slippery and she didn’t know how Allyssa and her vehicle were handling it.

  Allyssa had a bigger swath of snow to contend with behind Fiona’s work truck and before her own SUV. She too wondered if the snow had been left there deliberately. Maybe the manager had told the plow to do that to them. The bumps were compounded when the double-axle trailer went over it. Rex leaned over to lick her cheek, letting her know he was okay with her driving when she swore. She didn’t want to follow Fiona too closely because if she had to stop suddenly Allyssa’s vehicle would plow right into the camper. She’d stared at the back of that truck and camper for the short time since Denver last night and she knew today would be a long drive. She fiddled with the radio, but between the storm and maybe a lack of radio stations, she was stuck with an oldies country music station. The wangy-twang of it drove her crazy, so she left it off, wishing she knew where she had packed her CDs.

  They stopped in Rock Springs for gas and a stretch. Allyssa took advantage of the time to walk Rex while Fiona went in to prepay.

  “How are you holding up?” Fiona asked, concerned when she saw her returning quickly with the dog.

  “I’m fine. Wish I had a CD or something to listen to.” Rex hadn’t wanted to stay out too long. It was probably too cold and the wind was something else. It had blown her and the trailer so hard a few times, she had to fight the wheel.

  “What? You don’t like ‘My heart is breaking and I wanna whine about it’ songs?” she teased. She’d heard the songs that Allyssa had tuned the radio station to in the clinic. Bruce and Chuck both had changed it back to country whenever they could, but at least it was modern country. Allyssa’s taste tended towards soft rock.